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First- Declutter
- Stop storing your medicines in every nook, cranny, or random cabinet. This clutter will only result in you being unable to find medication when needed.
Bring out all the medicines from all these nooks and crannies and cabinets of your house and read on!
Second- Dispose
- Approximately every 6 months, I go through my medicine ‘stash’ and chuck away any expired or damaged medicine.
To know how to properly dispose of or recycle your medicines, follow this link.
To know if expired medicines can be used, follow this link. - When you have to use a medicine, try and use the one the strip that is expiring first (of course, under medical supervision)
Third- Store
Important: Any storage area you choose should be prioritized on safety if you have small children and pets at home.
- Typically, it is recommended that meds be stored in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Pick any location in your house that fits this criterion. Example: I store mine in a cabinet in the living room- this area is dry, cool, and sees no direct sun exposure.
- Bathroom cabinets or shelves are not the right places for medicine storage.
The heat and humidity here can damage your medication, rendering them to lose its potency. - Kitchens are not an ideal place to store meds, but, if you must, ensure they are as far as possible away from any heat or water source (e.g., refrigerator, stove, sink).
- Consider a lock if you need to keep medicines away from the reach of children and pets.
- Besides the above cabinet, I have a small pouch in my bedside drawer that has my personal medication that I take regularly. It is simple and convenient.
- Always try and keep the medicine in its original container.
- Consider individual labeled boxes if you have a lot of the same group of medications, e.g., a box for multivitamins, another for cold medications, etc.
- To be safer, store adult and kids’ medication in separate boxes or sections.
- Always follow manufacturer instructions for storage as some medicines need to be stored in a refrigerator or even the freezer.
How I store medicines
My medicine cabinet is not Insta-ready but is uber functional.
This cabinet is in one corner of the living room, away from direct sunlight. This cabinet is about 4 feet above the ground, making it impossible for small children to reach, and it has a strong magnetic latch, which requires a decent force to pry open.
Note the Covid antigen testing kit- I always one at all times. Please always test yourself when needed so that you can take adequate care of self and the people around you!
This link shows you many innovative ways to store solutions, from store-bought drawer organizers to DIY projects.
Special considerations
- Always consider safety and drug access. For example, in households with children, store meds away from their reach by having the medicine cabinet high up or keeping them in a locked box, especially if these are controlled drugs.
- Cotton balls in your bottle? Remove them. They draw moisture and can damage the meds.
- Silica desiccant pack in the box? Keep them. They absorb moisture and will keep your meds dry.
If you love trivia and just reading random facts, follow this link to know the fascinating whys and hows of cotton balls in medicine bottles and this link to read the science behind silica desiccants.
(P.S. I actually have a small stash of silica packs of sizes ranging from an inch to as big as my palm- they were not purchased by themselves but came with other purchases)
Takeaway
- Keep medicines away from the reach of children and pets.
- Always store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
- Follow the storage instructions as given by the manufacturer or pharmacist.
- Dispose of unused or expired medications wisely.
Trivia
Marie Kondo, the modern-day Guru of decluttering and organization, has a net worth of 8 million USD. To her credit, she has Netflix shows, best-selling books, and home organization merchandise.
